Memory Keeper
by Socket-58
Summary: In these quiet moments, when there is nothing but them lying in the dark, Lee knows that he would sacrifice everything for her again.


**Spoilers: **Fragged

**A/N:** A huge shout out to Mary S, my not ordinary beta.

**Memory Keeper**

By Socket

Roslin lies on her back on her cell bed, staring at the ceiling, counting the seconds till Apollo returns and she has someone to talk to.

She hears the familiar sound of marching footsteps and rolls onto her side to see Lee being escorted into the brig, having completed his CIC shift. Now that he's off-duty, he's back to being her collaborator and a military traitor.

He smiles warmly at her, she returns the smile. He has an urge to say; "Honey I'm home", but doesn't.

Lee enters his cell next to hers and in a strange way, feels like he is home. He sits on his bunk, leaning against the bars separating them.

Laura rolls onto her stomach, facing him, she props her chin on her folded arms. "How was your shift? Any major developments to report?" she inquires.

"The XO is drinking again and acting like a dictator – so no, there's nothing new to report."

This alarms her - she's getting worried about Lee - he takes everything so personally, soaks it up and while he talks to her about most things, Laura knows there are some things he keeps bottled up. She reaches through the bars and touches his arm to bring him back to reality, to bring him back to her.

Upon her touch, Apollo glances at her. "Sorry," he apologises. "I should be grateful that I get out of here for twelve hours a day – you're stuck in here constantly."

Laura smiles reassuringly. "But I have Billy to keep me company in the day and you at night. I'm doing just fine."

He nods. "Madame President, I wouldn't expect anything less of you."

They sit in comfortable silence for a moment and Laura begins to wonder if she's ever felt this at ease with another soul, and it saddens her that the answer is no.

"Well, what game do you want to play tonight?" he asks, drawing her out of her musings.

She groans. "Ugh – if we play 'I Spy' one more time, I'll scream!"

Apollo laughs. "Well, hide-and-seek is definitely out."

Laura grins at him, then sits up and crosses her legs. "What about the name game?" she suggests.

Turning to face her, Lee says. "Alright – pick something to name."

Roslin ponders this for a moment, then looks triumphant. "Ah ha – now this is a tricky one," she forewarns.

Lee smirks. "I'm beginning to suspect a competitive streak in you Madame President!"

"Whatever gives you that idea?" she asks innocently.

With an arched eyebrow, Lee indicates the chalk marks on her wall, which keep score of how many rounds of the name game they have each won. She's ahead by five. Laura looks over her shoulder at the tally chart, then faces the pilot again. "I was bored," she explains.

"Tricky is it? Alright then, hit me with it."

"Name all of the states on Caprica," she instructs.

Apollo groans and narrows his eyes in concentration. "I told you I wasn't that great at geography, right?"

She smiles mischievously. "I believe your exact words were: '_Geography and I weren't on the best of terms'_."

He likes it when she does that; recalls pieces of conversation they have shared. He remembers everything about her: the way she moves, the larger-than-life smile, her voice and inflections, her words of wisdom… and he feels gratified that she remembers details about him too.

Roslin had just named as many animals in the mammal family on Picon as she could think of when the brig lights go out, they both look up, then at each other, hardly able to see in the darkness.

"I guess it's bedtime," Laura mutters.

Lee pulls back his bed covers and sinks into the crisp white sheets. His body drained from a long day.

Roslin removes her jacket and then climbs into bed.

Apollo breathes in the subtle scent of her perfume. In the dark, he hears her breathing softly. Sometimes, through the bars, he feels her lush hair stroke against his skin and she's so close to him, her head barely an inch from his.

They sometimes talk in the night; she likes falling asleep to the sound of his voice. And sometimes she tells him stories, amusing anecdotes from Adar's administration and then he would dream of a world he never knew, where she was the Education Secretary and he could call her Laura.

And in these quiet moments, when there is nothing but them lying in the dark, Lee knows that he would sacrifice everything for her again, no hesitation.

As if sensing his mood, Laura whispers. "Captain Apollo?"

As always, his heart pounds at her use of his call sign. "Yes Madame President?"

"Will you grant me a favour?"

"Anything," he promises without reservation.

Carefully, Laura says. "Be my memory."

"What do you mean?" Apollo murmurs.

"You're my witness," she says. "You shared this time with me - you and Billy, and I'm counting on you to remember it as it was. Don't let the likes of Tigh, Zarek or my supporters re-write history. I want it told as it was, I can't trust anyone else with the truth... you're my witness."

Lee breathes in sharply, he doesn't want to think about this, but she needs his assurance. "I'll be your memory," he promises.

"Thank you," she whispers.

Laura reaches through the bars and her fingers graze his shoulder. Lee moves his hand to meet hers and their fingers grip in a silent pact. They hold on tightly for a moment, then she withdraws her hand and he stares into the blackness of the night. Silence fills the space between them.

Roslin fights the emotion she feels rising, after a moment, she regains her composure. "Remind me to redecorate the brig when I get out of here," she says lightly.

Lee chuckles softly. "As long as you don't re-do it with tally chart wallpaper," he teases.

"Careful Captain, or next time we play the name game, I'll make you list Caprica's states in alphabetical order!"

He smiles. "Night, Ma'am."

"Goodnight," she replies, then adds. "Sweet dreams."

Apollo closes his eyes. Since the Cylon war began, he hasn't had a decent nights sleep, that is, until he shared the brig with her. Now all his dreams are filled with images of Laura and he finds slumber a peaceful escape. Dreamland is where he'll keep his memories of her, safe and guarded, just as he promised he would.

The End


End file.
